You should invest in travel insurance, especially if you will be going out of the country or are going on an expensive vacation. However, if you use your credit card to make your travel plans, the card you use might come with some unexpected perks. Here’s how your credit card may help you if you run into a problem when you are traveling.
Cancellation
For one reason your another you may need to cancel your trip at the last minutes. If you end up getting sick or can’t travel because of severe weather conditions, your card might reimburse you. Just remember that you may have to provide documentation or a written explanation as to why you had to cancel your trip.
The Cost Incurred Because Of Delayed Flights
Flight delays happen and often than travelers realize. This can cause you to incur an overnight hotel stay or a meal expense while you are waiting for your flight. If you use your credit card to pay for these items, they just might credit the cost back to you. Just make sure that you keep your receipts because you may need them despite the fact that the transaction will be recorded on your credit card statement.
Luggage Issues
All sorts of things can happen to your luggage no matter where you are traveling to. It can be damaged, delayed, lost or stolen. Don’t worry though as your credit card may reimburse you for the luggage, contents of it or items that you have had to buy because of not receiving it in a timely manner. Keep all of your receipts and any documentation that you receive from your airline so that you can submit them to your credit card company if need be.
Coverage For Other Family Members
Some credit cards will also offer coverage for immediate family members. What they cover may vary greatly. This is why you need to make sure you check with the credit card company before making any purchases that you wouldn’t ordinarily make.
Death Or Dismemberment
No one wants to think about it, but catastrophic things can happen when you are traveling. This include death and dismemberment. If this happens to you or a member of your party, your credit card may reimburse you for at least part of your trip.
You may also want to consider purchasing travel insurance. For more details check out our post on What to Look for in Travel Insurance. Other useful blogs are How to Protect Yourself from Identify Theft While Traveling and Hidden Fees to Watch Out for When Traveling.
